On the two Preparations of Acetic Ether. 87 
miscible in water, of an agreeable smell, reddening strongly 
the blue vegetable colours. No particular gas was liberated 
_during the operation, merely atmospheric air displaced by 
the ethereal gas. I rectified this ether over pure alcohol 
(concentrated by potash): it did not redden any longer the 
blue vegetable colours ; it marked 25 ae in the areome- 
ter, and weighed 420 grammes. 
As to the process by the intermedium of the seh get 
acid, indicated by our fellow member Durosicr, it consists 
in introducing 500 grammes of the acetate of copper, in 
powder, into atubulated retort, to which the apparatus of 
Woulff is adapted. A mixture is afterwards made of equal 
parts (500 grammes of each) of rectified alcohol and sul- 
phuric acid, which is introduced, when it is cooled, by the 
tubulure of the retort; it is gradually heated, and 640 
grammes of acetic ether are obtained, mixed with sulphu- 
rous acid in. a small quantity, marking in the areometer 
25 degrees and a half, reddening strongly the blue vegetable 
colours, forming a precipitate with water of barytes and 
lime-water. During the operation a small quantity of an 
elastic fluid is liberated, poien I ascertained was sulphu-. 
rous acid gas. 
I ratified this ether with 50 grammes of alcohol. (pu- 
rified by potash) ; and in order to ascertain if any sulphuric 
ether existed in this ether, I divided the produce of the rec- 
tification into portions of 50 grammes cach, 
The first produce marked 31 degrees in the areometer ; 
the second, 28 degrees ; the third, 274 degrees ; the fourth, 
264 degrees, These different products marked 28 degrees, 
and weighed 535 grammes. 
, -{n order to ascertain if it was easy, by dividing the pro- 
ducts into portions, to ascertain the presetice of sulphuric 
ether in acetic ether, I made a mixture of 50 grammes of 
the former at 56 degrees, the thermometer at 0, (32° Fahr.), 
and a mixture of 200 grammes of the secoud, at 25 degrees. 
The two ethers, thus mixed; yielded, after two days, 30 de- 
grees. 
I distilled about 70 grammes of ether ; it marked 39 de- 
grees, and had avery decided smell of sulphuric ether ; 
4 whence 
